"To call it an equalizer implies that there is a point in time during an at-bat that a hitter has a chance," Braden said. "This is just not the case. It's a neutralizer, a devastator. It sends batter after batter to their final resting place in Valhalla."

When you go through the Mets draft classes of the Sandy era -- 2011 onward -- they really haven't produced much talent. Conforto and Fulmer really the only guys to blossom into high end big league players from any of those classes thus far, and obviously Fulmer's not doing it in a Mets uniform.

When you go through the Mets draft classes of the Sandy era -- 2011 onward -- they really haven't produced much talent. Conforto and Fulmer really the only guys to blossom into high end big league players from any of those classes thus far, and obviously Fulmer's not doing it in a Mets uniform.

Again, I'm just looking at the first round. Dom Smith picked #11, only 4 guys have a war 3 or better picked 11-39. Aaron Judge looks like a stud, maybe there's others, but it's early.

2014: as noted, we got Conforto, who could be (along with Turner) one of the top guys in that draft - mets did well in 2014.

2015: No first round pick, but this may be one of the mets better 2nd-5th rounder years with Szapucki, Thompson, Lindsay and some later round guys who look OK (for later round picks).

2016/2017: Dunn might have struggled but it's early and 2017 looks pretty good with Peterson/Vientos.

Point is, if there's maybe a 15-20% chance of landing a player who's a difference maker with picks in the 10-13 range, and a 10%-15% chance in the later 20-40 range. Statistically the mets scored about average for early picks in the draft. Not terrible. And the jury is still out for several of those players. I mean, sure, hindsight, draft Seager not Cecchini or Fernandez not Nimmo, or Gallow not Plawecki, but hindsight is 20/20. The mathematician in me just wanted to point out that team-Sandy has done about average in his drafts and an argument can be made for a hair above average. if you compare with the average war of players taken soon after he picked. It's also early. The Jury is still out.

If you really want to improve your draft, you tank and get a top 3/5 pick which improves the odds and increases the money you have to spend, but the Wilpons didn't want to tank. The odds drop on getting a top guy if you draft in the 10-13 range

I have no idea who mark Vientos is, but based on his name alone, I'm assuming he's a light hitting, all glove middle infielder who guys will try to pass off as "a good bench piece," like all our other offensive players to come out of the minors not named Conforto

I have no idea who mark Vientos is, but based on his name alone, I'm assuming he's a light hitting, all glove middle infielder who guys will try to pass off as "a good bench piece," like all our other offensive players to come out of the minors not named Conforto

Nah he's a slow-footed SS with power potential. He'll almost definitely move to 3B before the majors

I don't know if he's slow footed, but he's still 17 (turns 18 in 3 days) so he's young for a HS draft pick and his 6'4 frame is expected to fill out and might even grow another inch or two, so SS probably isn't in the cards.

The mets were reportedly thrilled that he was still there at #59 cause they were considering signing him with the #20 pick. They had to pay him 1.5 in a 1.1 slot, but they like him.